Do Seattle police still rush to respond to burglar alarms?

Do police still respond to burglary alarms? Yes, depending on what happens before the alarm is reported. (Getty Images)

Q: Do Seattle police still rush respond to house security alarms?

A: Yes, depending on what happens before the alarm is reported.

If someone in the home pushes the panic button, officers will be dispatched immediately to an active burglary call, Sgt. Sean Whitcomb said.

If a burglary alarm is sounded and a home-monitoring company such as ADT makes two calls trying to verify the alarm’s validity, police say officers will respond as though it’s an active burglary.

But a company reporting a burglary or intrusion alarm that hasn’t made two phone calls attempting to verify the validity of the alarm won’t have their call accepted. They will be told to make the two phone calls, then call back.

That policy was started Jan. 1, 2009, to reduce false alarm responses. False alarms cost the city an estimated $1.2 million in 2007 and took the equivalent of 12 full-time patrol officers off the street, according to city data. Read more here.

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